Natural Remedies: What You Need to Know
Like Traditional Chinese Medicine, natural remedies have been go-to options for centuries. In present day, more and more people prefer all-natural, non-chemical options for their food, toiletries, health and more.
The Southern Environmental Medicine Center laid out this list of reasons why people should consider natural medicine and I couldn’t agree more. Here is what they had to say:
Herbal medicine uses the body’s natural healing process for treating conditions. The ingredients used are those that are regularly produced in the body.
It is cost-effective. One of the main downsides to modern medicine is how much it costs. It is not uncommon for even generic pharmaceutical drugs to cost hundreds of dollars. Comparatively, you can buy many herbal drugs over the counter, which means you don’t need to shell out a lot of money for them.
Natural medicine is widely understood to increase the body’s ability to ward of diseases. Increased immunity and an overall healthier state of being can easily be achieved with continued treatment.
Using Natural Remedies in Your Life
As noted above, natural remedies are health positive. Here are a few ways you can use natural remedies in your own life in a variety of ways.
You don’t have to forgo healthy skin if you skip store bought facial products. Check out these recipes for face wash and moisturizer from Don’t Mess with Mama that will leave you feeling fresh and clean:
Ingredients
3/4 cup cooled organic brewed chamomile tea (or filtered or distilled water)
1/4 cup liquid Castile soap
1/2 tsp organic sweet almond oil
3-4 drops vitamin E oil (optional)
8 drops of Frankincense essential oil
8 drops of Lavender essential oil
Directions
In a 4 to 6 oz. foaming soap bottle, add Castile liquid soap, sweet almond oil and vitamin E oil.
Add essential oils as needed.
Fill with chamomile tea or water to the top of the bottle.
Shake well and use as needed.
About the Ingredients:
Argan oil is a rare hand-pressed oil from the fruit kernels of the Moroccan Argan tree. It is rich in vitamin E, carotenes and fatty acids and absorbs quickly without an oily feel – yet it’s very hydrating and helps balance skin.
Frankincense essential oil has been used for thousands of years and is excellent for healthy-looking skin.
Lavender essential oil is also great for the skin, particularly if you spend time out in the sun.
Carrot seed oil can be added to this blend to provide natural sun protection.
Ingredients
2 oz. Argan oil
15 drops of Frankincense oil
10 drops of Lavender oil
5-10 drops of Carrot Seed oil (optional)
Directions
Add Frankincense, lavender and carrot seed oil to a bottle of Argan oil. Store in a cool, dry spot.
Use morning and night after each facial wash, or as needed. It is recommended you start with just 1-2 pumps (about 3-6 drops) to moisturize the skin.
Cold and Flu
Being sick is terrible and unfortunately, we are still in one of the worst cold and flu seasons. Before you get sick (or even after), it’s important to have the necessary ingredients on hand in your home so you don’t have to go out in the world when you are feeling your worst. Here is a list of whole-food ingredient shopping list from The Herbal Academy to use in your wellness arsenal:
Garlic – Anti-viral, antibiotic, and antiseptic.
Onion – Great for coughs and raw onion keeps the respiratory tract open.
Ginger – Antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory. In addition to treating cold/flu, ginger is excellent for nausea and vomiting.
Sage – Carminative, antiseptic, and astringent – the mouth and throat plant. Used for sore throats and cough as well as sinus congestion. Sage should not be used when pregnant or breast feeding.
Thyme – Antimicrobial, antibacterial, antiviral, expectorant and astringent. Thyme is great for respiratory infections and coughs. It is also good for the stomach and relieves gas.
Cayenne powder – Stimulant, anti-microbial, analgesic, carminative, diaphoretic, and expectorant. Cayenne can help prevent a cold or flu as well as shorten the duration of a sickness. It brings heat to the body, which can help dispel coldness.
Honey – Raw, local honey is ideally be purchased either at a farmer’s market or at a store like Whole Foods or Trader Joe’s. Honey is antibacterial, antimicrobial, and antiseptic. Do not give honey to children under 1 year old.
Lemon – High in vitamin C, lemon may help decrease the strength of the cold and flu
virus in the body and reduce phlegm. Many folks use lemons to build resistance to cold and flu and speed up healing.
Now that you have your shopping done, here is a recipe, also from The Herbal Academy, for a tea that will warm you up while you’re sick.
Cold and Flu Tea
Ingredients
3-4 slices fresh ginger with skin
One clove chopped garlic (note: reduce garlic if you’re stomach becomes irritated)
Cayenne powder
Tea of choice (black, green, oolong, herbal)
Honey to taste
Milk/milk alternative, optional
Directions
Bring 3-4 slices of fresh ginger (skin on) and one clove of chopped garlic to a boil and simmer for approximately 20 minutes
Use ginger water to steep tea (black, green, oolong or any herbal tea)
Add cayenne powder as hot as can be tolerated to induce sweating
Add honey to taste
Add milk or dairy alternative (almond, soy or other)
Drink 3-4 cups per day
Drink before bed and bundle up to induce sweat
Sleep
As I’ve written about before, sleep is incredibly important for a healthy life. As a reminder, here is how a lack of sleep can negatively impact your health from Health Line:
1. Memory Issues
When you sleep, the brain forms connections to help process and retain new information. When you are experiencing a lack of sleep, it can have a negative impact on both short and long-term memory.
2. Mood Changes
Have you ever woken up on the wrong side of the bed? That could be because your mood is influenced by sleep. Chronic sleep problems can lead to anxiety and depression, which can get worse over time.
3. Weak Immune System
You’re more likely to get sick when you’re exposed to germs because too little sleep weakens the immune system.
4. Increased Diabetes Risk
Health Line notes, “A Lack of sleep affects your body’s release of insulin, a blood sugar-lowering hormone. People who don’t get enough sleep have higher blood sugar levels and an increased risk for type 2 diabetes.”
Here are a couple of natural remedies for a good night’s sleep from Reader's Digest’s website:
Passionflower Tea:
Readers Digest noted, “One cup of this tropical tea nightly improved sleep quality in a recent study from Australia’s Monash University. Herbalists also recommend a cup of chamomile before bed; chamomile contains the flavonoid apigenin, which has a calming effect on the brain.”
A Hot Bath
Who can overlook the power of a nice bath? The website noted, “A study published in the journal Sleep found that women with insomnia who took a hot bath for about 90 to 120 minutes slept much better that night than those who didn’t. Temperatures for ideal bath water range from 98 to 100 degrees F, but the Goldilocks temperature hovers at around 112 degrees, according to the Wall Street Journal.”
Chinese Medicine
Using Chinese Medicine as a part of your natural remedy routine is important because of how this practice views the body. According to Traditional Chinese Medicine World Foundation:
1. You Are Totally Connected to Nature
There are changes in nature that are always reflected in your body. Chinese Medicine accounts for the particular season, geographical location and time of day, as well as your age, genetics and the condition of your body when looking at your health issues.
2. You Were Born with Incredible Natural Healing Abilities
The body is a microcosm that reflects the macrocosm. Consider this: nature has a regenerative capacity, and you do as well. Occasionally, this ability may appear to be lost or difficult to access. However, in most cases, it is never completely gone.
By listening to nature and the body, Chinese Medicine can address what is going on in holistic, natural way. If you would like to use Chinese Medicine in a customized, personal way, contact me today so I can help you incorporate acupuncture and herbal medicines into your life.
Natural remedies are a powerful way to healthily and holistically take care of yourself. What are your favorite natural remedies? Let me know if the comments.
About Green Lake Natural Health:
Green Lake Natural Health provides natural healing services and medicinal herb counseling to patients. The mission of Green Lake Natural Health is to provide customized care to patients to effectively treat their health concerns in a natural manner that restores harmony and healing in the body. Services include, but are not limited to, acupuncture, massage, medicinal herb counseling to treat conditions such as anxiety, insomnia, chronic pain and more. Proudly serving the Seattle community since 2010.
